Eating Out Every Day and It's Effects

IdcShrimp

Hello.

So I've been maintaining really well lately (and by lately I mean over a year and a half) and I'm really enthused and overjoyed to say that I no longer fear restaurant foods! I had some unhealthy opinions on restaurant foods and my attitudes towards them were mainly overwhelming fear and anxiety. I'd opt out of hanging with friends because I was scared of going to that burrito shack, or I'd ruin my own birthday by declining my parents invitation to eat out and celebrate. Well, no more! I realized on my own that after awhile, the only reason I should 'fear' (and you should never really fear food anyway, it is just fuel) a restaurant food is if it is so dang unhealthy it would choke a cow with the sodium (let us reference PF Chang's 3,400 mg of sodium per serving) or was so caloric it would break my pancreas. Now, obviously I'm kidding around there, and once in a while is not a bad thing, but generally I don't like those foods anyway so making healthier choices at restaurants is pleasant for me, as it means I can eat out more than once per week and not feel too bad.

Here's where I want your opinion, though...take a place like Au Bon Pain. They are awesome! They make delicious deli sandwiches and wholesome soups and when I eat there it is more like a super high-scale college cafeteria or my own home. Seriously, the wraps, deli meat, lettuce, etc...all stuff I would say i eat daily at home anyways. So what's the big deal if I eat out at a place like that every day? I ask this because this week I ate out at least 4 times, probably gonna do it again today. My family has been celebrating many b-days and summertime celebrations and graduations and such. Thus, this week we went out for Frozen Yogurt, then we went to Dunkin Donuts the next day, then we went out for Bertuccis, then we bought some candy, etc. But, thanks to this site, I monitor everything I eat and was actually like 24 calories UNDER for the day most of the days. I try to eat my TDEE at least every day, so I'm wondering...if I were to eat these foods and monitor my calories, what is the big deal at all?

I know some people preach "AHH PRESERVATIVES" "AHH ARTIFICIAL CRAP" but honestly I do read the labels on most of the foods we buy at home and they are not much better as a whole than some of the foods we eat out. I mean, they may have a bit higher sodium or whatever, but they aren't detrimentally caloric or filled with arsenic, so I think we're ok. And, I've been maintaining for a year now off mainly frozen foods (organic turkey burgers, even french fries, but also a lot of healthy stuff too!) so why guilt myself?

What i'm trying to get at here: people act like you can't eat out every day, or even every week, and make health-consious choices and maintain your weight. But if I'm ordering things I would eat at home anyways and for the most part am wholesome and stay under my calorie count (and even macros!) why even worry? I'm thinking about going to Subway today and ordering my fav roasted chicken sandwich with lots of veggies. What's the big deal? Why do some people worry so much about it? Are they not strong enough to make healthy choices whenever they go out? I can understand if it is that way, but I want to know what you think.

KingRat79

sounds like you have already reached a conclusion, soooo not sure what you are actually asking? for what its worth my answer is do what you want, if you are able to maintain reasonably balanced diet within you calorific needs and your happy with the way you eat then go for it.

maz504

I hardly ever go out to eat, not because of calories though...

that ish is expensive.

Ang108

I have read your post twice and have no idea what you are asking, or if you are making a statement, or what you want to discuss.
Good Luck on your maintenance though....

Athijade

As long as you stay within your calories and eat somewhat balanced in general, then there is nothing wrong with eating out.

Francl27

The main reason I don't go out that much is (apart from the cost, of course), sodium. And also if I crave something, I can often make it at home for less calories.

hearthwood

Just stay within your calorie goal. Every once in a while I have got to have a Big Mac. It just means I will be eating less of a dinner. You can also choose to share a meal--eat half of it, save the rest for the next day, whatever. But you seem to have that right already.

Losing weight shouldn't mean you have to give up everything you like to do--you just tweek it a little.

aleggett321

My family eats out 3 or 4 nights a week. Mexican at least one of those, BBQ another. It's our social family time and just something we enjoy.
I manage to fit it into my calories just fine. Partly because I just prefer lower calorie items, but mostly I know that just because it's on my plate doesn't mean I have to eat it. Eat part of everything and leave the rest or take it home. Just because they serve huge portions doesn't mean I need to clean my plate.

cwoyto123

Calories in vs calories out.

IdcShrimp

My family eats out 3 or 4 nights a week. Mexican at least one of those, BBQ another. It's our social family time and just something we enjoy.
I manage to fit it into my calories just fine. Partly because I just prefer lower calorie items, but mostly I know that just because it's on my plate doesn't mean I have to eat it. Eat part of everything and leave the rest or take it home. Just because they serve huge portions doesn't mean I need to clean my plate.

glad to know someone else is doing the same and making it work!

and to be clear to all the other answerers, i'm just asking if anyone else does the same thing, this isn't necessarily a question but it is a thread and who says I have to ask a question? can't i just facilitate a discussion...these are message boards for talking not Yahoo answers...

IdcShrimp

Calories in vs calories out.

amen

gelar93

As a full time college student with 2 jobs, I don't have much time to cook. I leave early in the morning and get home past 10 for the most part so cooking and preparing my own food is not an option really; hence, I have to eat out most days, yet I am on track with my goals and never had any issues. It's all about what you get, for instance I went to Arby's today and got the roast turkey farmhouse salad. It was so good, I'd have to say. The portion size was huge and it was only 230 calories. Lots of lettuce and a few other veggies, some roast turkey, and just a little bit of bacon and cheese with lite Italian dressing (which was only 20 calories). I personally don't think eating out is not healthy as long as you pick the right food.

wheird

I eat out any time I get a chance. I find it very enjoyable and have only ever had positive results.

jspierre

I've eaten out about 4-5 times a week for the past year or so and I've manage to stay in my calorie limits just fine; granted, however, the restaurant I frequent has things like an avocado veggie sandwich with fresh fruit on the side on the menu.

Sodium, though, can really get out of hand with restaurant food, so if you are prone to bloating or high blood pressure, it might be something to keep in mind.

IdcShrimp

As a full time college student with 2 jobs, I don't have much time to cook. I leave early in the morning and get home past 10 for the most part so cooking and preparing my own food is not an option really; hence, I have to eat out most days, yet I am on track with my goals and never had any issues. It's all about what you get, for instance I went to Arby's today and got the roast turkey farmhouse salad. It was so good, I'd have to say. The portion size was huge and it was only 230 calories. Lots of lettuce and a few other veggies, some roast turkey, and just a little bit of bacon and cheese with lite Italian dressing (which was only 20 calories). I personally don't think eating out is not healthy as long as you pick the right food.

hey! full time college student here, too! i'm glad to see someone else my age doing the same thing. i think it's a lot different for people with responsibility to 'eat out' more often than some other people who don't necessarily have to waste the $ on take out or something...sometimes even as a college student you have to go to the cafeteria and stuff and at that point i usually say why not just get something healthy like the arby's salad you mentioned or a wrap instead...half the time the takeout stuff if healthier than a cafeteria anyways. that's why i dropped my meal plan for school haha

IdcShrimp

I've eaten out about 4-5 times a week for the past year or so and I've manage to stay in my calorie limits just fine; granted, however, the restaurant I frequent has things like an avocado veggie sandwich with fresh fruit on the side on the menu.

Sodium, though, can really get out of hand with restaurant food, so if you are prone to bloating or high blood pressure, it might be something to keep in mind.

yea the sodium is the only thing that deal breaks it for me. sometimes you can gage your breakfast, though, or tailor your day to have no/low sodium in preparation for the 1,000 mg dish you might get at night.

RodaRose

These are choices we get to make. Some people like Subway and Au Bon Pain. No one could pay me to eat in either one of those.

It is up to you. Do what you want and live your life happily.

KarenJanine

The difficulty with eating out and logging calories is that it's difficult to know portion sizes, which can lead to a lot of guess work. However, increasing numbers of restaurants include nutritional info, either on the menus or can be found online so this is becoming easier. Work the calories/macros into your daily or weekly goal and there should be no impact on loss/maintenance/gaining - depending on one's goals.

Personally, I eat out fairly regularly and do not intend to stop any time soon.

The_Enginerd

I eat out almost everyday and have had no problems losing weight and maintaining. And that includes McDonald's, Taco Bell, and the aforementioned P.F. Changs.

Also, it keeps my girlfriend happy.